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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 26, 2008

Kim riding Ryder Cup high

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Anthony Kim, a member of the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team, shot a 6-under 64 to lead the Tour Championship at Atlanta.

JOHN BAZEMORE | Associated Press

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Four days after Anthony Kim humbled Sergio Garcia in the Ryder Cup, he beat 29 players just as badly yesterday at the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Showing no effects of a Ryder Cup hangover, Kim fired off eight birdies on his way to a 6-under 64 in his Tour Championship debut to build a four-shot lead over Masters champion Trevor Immelman, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.

Kim and the other nine Americans from the winning team rarely got through a hole without hearing someone in the gallery congratulate them on their 161/2-111/2 victory over Europe on Sunday. Kim was smiling just as wide as he did yesterday.

"I feel like when I'm happy, having a good time, I'm going to make some birdies," he said. "So it was a good vibe out there."

Vijay Singh wasn't feeling it.

He only has to complete all four rounds at East Lake to capture the FedEx Cup, and that might have been the best part of his opening round at East Lake - he finished with a 73.

Kenny Perry, the Kentucky hero from the Ryder Cup, also found little reason to smile. He opened with a 76, and while that won't take away from his memories of red, white and blue, what irritated him was a pink slip.

It was his summons for drug testing, the second of the year for the 48-year-old Perry.

Good thing the 23-year-old Kim had four days to try to get the Ryder Cup out of his system. He was the life of the party Sunday night, especially after his 5-and-4 victory over Garcia in which Kim made birdie or better on six of his 14 holes.

"Just trying to enjoy the moment," Kim said. "This Ryder Cup hangover doesn't feel as bad as a college hangover."

MCGILL, PARK, JANG TIED FOR NAVISTAR LPGA LEAD

Jill McGill, Jane Park and Jeong Jang shot 7-under 65s yesterday for a share of the Navistar LPGA Classic lead, while top-ranked Lorena Ochoa was two strokes back in her first event in a month.

Ochoa played her first competitive round since tying for sixth in the Safeway Classic on Aug. 24, her fourth top-seven finish in a row, but seventh straight winless start. She opened the year with six victories in nine starts, including four straight.

Safeway winner Cristie Kerr and Janice Moodie opened with 66s on the links-style Senator Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex in Prattville, Ala.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

LADY VOLS' SUMMITT HAS SHOULDER SURGERY

Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt had offseason shoulder surgery, not for a sports injury but because of a tussle with a raccoon.

The winningest basketball coach in NCAA history had problems with her right shoulder after dislocating it while chasing a raccoon poised to attack her Labrador. The attack came near her home March 5, just days before the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Summitt had arthroscopic surgery yesterday in Knoxville, Tenn., to repair recurring instability problems.

NBA

MOPED ACCIDENT COULD COST WARRIORS' ELLIS

Chris Mullin hopes Monta Ellis learned something about maturity when a misadventure with a moped left the Golden State guard with a severely sprained ankle.

The Warriors still haven't decided whether Ellis will feel that lesson in his wallet as well.

Mullin, the Warriors' top basketball executive, and coach Don Nelson tried yesterday to stay out of the debate about whether the Warriors will fine Ellis for participating in an offseason activity prohibited in the guard's new six-year, $66 million contract. Ellis will miss training camp and at least several weeks of the regular season after injuring his left ankle last month in his native Mississippi.

Mullin essentially confirmed a recent report in the San Francisco Chronicle that Ellis' injury occurred in a low-speed moped crash. Ellis initially told the team he was injured while playing hoops, only to change his story days later.

TENNIS

RODDICK WINS, FERRER LOSES IN CHINA OPEN

Andy Roddick overcame a Davis Cup loss and jet lag to reach the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing, while David Ferrer wasn't as fortunate.

Despite falling behind early, the second-seeded Roddick defeated fellow American Brendan Evans, 6-4, 6-3,yesterday.

Top-seeded Ferrer was never in the second-round match, falling, 6-3, 6-3, to Dudi Sela of Israel, who is No. 92 in the rankings - 87 spots behind the Spaniard.

Roddick and Ferrer had byes in the first round and extra days off following Spain's emotional Davis Cup semifinal victory over the United States last weekend in Madrid. Ferrer defeated Roddick in the five sets.

"From 4-2 down in the first set I started feeling a little better," Roddick said. "It's a little tough going from clay last weekend in Spain to dealing with the jet lag and what not."

In women's play, second-seeded Ana Ivanovic defeated Alize Cornet, 6-1, 7-6 (1), to reach the quarterfinals. Defending champion Agnes Szavay lost to Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-2, 6-2.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Australia's Marcus Fraser and Sweden's Mikael Lundberg shot 5-under 67s to share the first-round lead in the British Masters at Sutton Coldfield, England. ... U.S. Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci won the USGA Senior Amateur, beating George Zahringer, 2-up, at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. ...Diane Lang won the USGA Senior Women's Amateur for the third time in four years, beating Toni Wiesner, 6 and 5, at Tulsa Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. ... Top-seeded Novak Djokovic, ranked third in the world, cruised into the quarterfinals at the Thailand Open in Bangkok with a 6-1, 6-3 win over qualifier Simon Stadler.